Are you an eco-friendly consumer looking to update your bedroom with a non-toxic metal bed frame?
Have you asked can bed bugs live in metal bed frames? But struggling to find a definitive answer from a reliable source?
Then you’re in the right place!
My love of all things sleep and my relentless research approach are the perfect combination to find you the answers you’re looking for.
In this article, I’ll cover what bed bugs are, why they’re attracted to your bed, how to prevent infestations, and more.
Contents
Bed bugs, or Cimex lectularius, are small brown insects that live on and feed off the blood of humans. They’re also nocturnal, so they come out to play when you do!
Although bed bugs need human blood to survive, they can also dine on other mammals, such as cats and dogs.
They’re about the size of an apple seed and are flat and oval.
They can survive for months without feeding, which is why infestations can be so troublesome to eradicate once they’ve become established.
Bed bugs usually live and feed on mattresses but will also take up residence in crevices and cracks around your bedroom and in soft furnishings such as curtains.
No mattress material is completely "bug-proof" however natural latex mattresses are said to have some natural resistance due to their higher density.
Bed bugs hide and survive on almost any surface, but some for longer than others.
They don’t like metal bed frames, as a rule. They’re cold and relatively dry, not conditions that suit bed bugs.
Just because they can’t live in metal beds doesn’t mean they won’t hang out there for a while.
Especially if there are drilled holes (usually for natural headboard installation) that allow access to the hollow tubing that provides a dark, sheltered environment away from the prying eyes of humans.
Bed bugs can spread easily between humans, with their bites often going unnoticed by the person they’ve bitten. And because they’re nocturnal, most people have a limited idea of how many days or weeks go by without them realizing they’ve been sleeping with bed bugs!
The first signs of an infestation are usually the bites themselves, dead bed bugs, or evidence of small black spots on your bedding (these are bed bug feces…YUK!).
Bed bugs bite to feed on your blood, but the bite is rarely severe enough to cause health problems.
Even so, you should be aware of some common symptoms and how to treat them if you get bitten:
Here are a few tips to keep metal bed frames (and your entire home) bed bug free:
Bed bugs climb metal and wooden bed frames. They can even scale walls and ceilings. They’re also capable of clinging to clothing to hitch a ride.
For this reason, it’s important that you keep these creatures out of your home by always putting out luggage or clothes on an elevated surface away from bedding when traveling.
Like metal bed frames, bed bugs are not keen on plastic smooth surfaces. They’re cold and slippy, which often means they struggle to climb up to warm clothing/bedding and their food source (you!).
When it comes to metal vs. wooden bed frames, bed bugs are much more at home in wood.
It’s warm and usually has natural cracks and crevices for them to hide and thrive.
If your bed bug infestation is so severe that you need to call in a pest control professional, ensure you do your research and ask questions to ensure that their methods are eco-friendly and the chemicals they use are non-toxic.
Some parents I know swear by metal bunk beds for their kids because they think they’re bed bug proof.
But bed bug proof furniture doesn’t really exist because bed bugs are persistent blighters. Simply follow the tips in this article to keep your stylish home furniture free from bed bugs.
Female bed bugs can lay up to 200 eggs in their lifetime, which hatch in 6-10 days [1]. Bed bug eggs are sticky and cling to most surfaces.
They’re white and around 1mm long, so difficult to spot.
Typically, you’ll find them in small hidden cracks and crevices near your bed or other furniture, such as upholstered sofas and chairs (or even your bed frame or box spring).
A popular DIY bed bug spray is rubbing alcohol mixed with water. There are more tips and tricks to kill and deter bed bugs in my article on homemade and non-toxic bed bug sprays.
They’re active all year round but appear to crop up most often during the warmer summer months when people are likely to travel more for vacations and business trips.
As such, it’s important to keep an eye out for bed bugs year-round and take action as soon as you suspect that you might have an infestation.
Doing so can help prevent the spread of bed bugs to other areas of your home or even to other people’s homes.
The life cycle of a bed bug varies, depending on its stage in the lifecycle and environmental conditions.
Typically, adult females live up to a year, while adult males can live for up to 6 months. The young (nymphs) often live for a few weeks to a few months before molting into the next stage of their life cycle.
A bed bug infestation is unlikely to start from your new metal bed frame.
Instead, the most likely cause of an infestation is from guests or family members/pets bringing them into your home.
Bed bugs hide very well and can be tricky to spot.
There are many ways to get rid of a bed bug problem, but the most effective is a combination of methods, including using sprays, vacuuming, and checking around furniture for eggs and dead bed bugs.
With vigilance and a little know-how, you can keep your home free from these annoying pests.
Have you experienced bed bug problems? How do you deter bed bugs from living in your bedroom?
Do you have an effective DIY bed bug spray recipe you’d like to share? Drop me a line and let me know.
